Viewing page 6 of 16

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

534    DOUGLASS' MONTHLY.   OCCTOBER, 1861

and 'sorrow and mourning' being carried in to 'thousands of hearts and home,' I have no idea whether 20, 200, or 2,000 men are really killed, and conjectures on this point are endless.  Many thanks are due to RUSSELL, 'the Times correspondent,' for his graphic sketches of the armies, Northern and Southern.  There is an old and trite saying, 'the less said, the soonest mended,' and I dare not allow myself to say much about this 'Bull Run' matter--for as the accounts come to us, a more thoroughly contemptible scene of cowardice was never opened up to view; and if the poor, timid Northern Government had been graciously pleased to accept the services a brave band of colored volunteers, previous to this 'Bull Run' encounter, doubtless those brave men (deserted and left entirely unsupported by the runaway cowards) would have fallen a sacrifice without any real gain to the cause of freedom.  I fully concur in all you say in your Bull Run article--it is for the Government to act for them to proclaim freedom to the slaves at the South, and then the sympathy of all Europe would be their's.  As matters are now, the people here are stultified, and know not what to hope or fear in regard to this war.  For my part, I wish that every colored family of the Northern States would cross the frontier, and take up their permanent abode in Canada, where, sheltered beneath the British flag, and freed from the many disabilities that obstruct their onward career, they might become honest and upright citizens of the good Queen Victoria, and kind hosts to the tens of thousands of poor fugitive slaves who now, more than ever, will be fleeing from their cruel taskmasters to a land where liberty is something more than a name!  'God reigns in Eternity,' said that noble man, HENRY WARD BEECHER, to you and to me, once when speaking on the subject of American slavery.  We know and feel that He will overrule all this confusion, this wrath of men and clang of arms, for the final deliverance of the poor bondmen, and that He will bring them out of their Southern prisonhouse as surely as He brought the children of Israel out of Egypt.

There was a glorious celebration held in Leeds, in commemoration of West India Emancipation, on the 1st of August.  The chief speakers were Messrs. DAY, MITCHELL, TROY and JOHNSON, all fine representatives of an oppressed race.  Dr. C. occupied the chair, and both he and L considered the crowded meeting a grand success in every point of view.  All the speakers acquitted themselves well, and Mr. DAY's speech was most eloquent.  I regretted that my visit northwards prevented my being present.

I rejoice greatly that our excellent friend, Dr. CHEEVER, received ere his departure from our shore, an expression (from noble and true friends of the slave) of their admiration of the course he has pursued in respect to the giant sin of his country.

Slavery is such a mighty subject, that when I once begin to touch upon it, all narration of a minor kind is omitted.  Not a single word have I said of the Royal Agricultural Show, held in Leeds a few weeks since, and thronged with visitors from all parts of the kingdom.  It was open five days, and on the first shilling day there were 73,000 people there.  40,000 were said to be present the day we went; but so vast was the site of 


ground on which the show was held, and so admirably were the arrangements conducted, that, by going early, we saw all the wonders without any inconvenience.  The weather was delightful, and tens of thousands of people poured into Leeds from all parts of our island.  Open house was every where kept, and a general season of rejoicing it was.  The exhibition, both as to animals and agricultural implements, was indeed marvelous; and when I say that they visitors could thread their way up and down fourteen miles of alleys, you may have a slight idea of the vastness of the whole.

I have no space now to speak of calm, delightful, lovely FULNECK, with its good Moravian brotherhood and sisterhood of Christian people, who, 'far retired from noise and strife,' dwell in that sweet valley, pursuing the even tenor of their way and training youthful minds in whatsoever things are pure and just and right and good.  While passing a portion of one bright summer's day there, I could not help appropriating MOORE's well known lines:

'Sweet "Valley of Fulneck," how calm could I rest
In thy bosom of shade with the friends I love best,' &c.

In this sweet retreat JAMES MONTGOMERY passed many years of his life; and when we reached the ancient Prayer Hall, one of our party struck up his beautiful hymn--
 
'Forever with the Lord!
Amen! so let it be, 
Life from the dead is in that word,
'Tis Immortality.' &c.

One by one we all joined in the chorus.  I shall never forget the effect, nor the scene.--You, my dear friend, would have much enjoyed it.  Dr. C. pronounced it the most pleasant day he had spent in a long time.

But I must close.  With out united kindest regards and best wishes for you and yours, believe me, as always, 

Your faithful and affectionate friend. 
JULIA G. CROFTS.

The "CONTRABANDS."--Gen. WOOL, commanding at Fortress Monroe, recently sent a messenger to Washington wit dispatches, asking the Government what to with the negroes, upward of 2,000 of whom are now at that Fortress.  The President's order amending General Fremont's Proclamation sets the whole question afloat again as regards negroes not directly employed in rebel service who may seek protection within our lines.  Gen. Wool is ordered to send to Washington all whom he can spare--the men to be put on the intrenchments, and the women in the camp kitchens, to be paid for their services.  Besides 2000 at the Fortress there are ten or fifteen on each of our men-of-war which sail from Hampton Roads, who get $8 a month and found.

No list of escaped slaves having been kept at Washington, as at Fortress Monroe, the precise number is unattainable.  According to the estimate of military authorities, however, about 200, who ran from rebel Virginians, are now practically freemen.  Of these some are working on intrenchments or elsewhere, and some have disappeared.  The number returned to Virginians or Marylanders professing loyalty, is not ascertained.

--It is estimated that General Patterson's division in Virginia cost the Government $10,000,000 before he was removed, and all he did was to sent back thirty runaway slaves to their masters.  Had it not been for him, probably our defeat at Bull Run would never have taken place. 



A MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

GENERAL FREMONT'S PROCLAMATION.
Head-Quarters, Western Department,
ST. LOUIS, August 31, 1861.

Circumstances in my judgment of sufficient urgency, render it necessary that the Commanding General of this Department should assume the administrative powers of the State.  Its disorganized condition, the helplessness of the civil authority, the total insecurity of life, and the devastation of property by bands of murderers and marauders, who infest nearly every county in the State, and avail themselves of the public misfortunes and the vicinity of a hostile force to gratify private and neighborhood vengeance, and who find an enemy wherever they find plunder, finally demand the severest measures to repress the daily increasing crimes and outrages which are driving off the inhabitants and ruining the State.  In this condition, the public safety and the success of our arms require unity of purpose, without let or hindrance to the prompt administration of affairs.

In order, therefore, to suppress disorders, to maintain as far as now practicable the public peace, and to give security and protection to the persons and property of loyal citizens, I do hereby extend and declare established marital law throughout the State of Missouri.  The lines of the army occupation in this State are for the present declared to extend from Leavenworth, by the way of the posts of Jefferson City, Rolla, and Ironton, to Cape Girardeau, on the Mississippi River.

All persons who shall be taken with arms in their hands within these lines shall be tried by court martial, and if found guilty, will be shot.  The property, real and personal, of all persons in the State of Missouri who shall take up arms against the United States, or who shall be directly proven to have taken active part with their enemies in the field, is declared to be confiscated to the public use, and their slaves, if any they have, are hereby declared free men.

All persons who shall be proven to have destroyed, after the publication of this order, railroad tracks, bridges or telegraphs, shall suffer the extreme penalty of the law.

All persons engaged in treasonable correspondence, in giving or procuring aid to the enemies of the United States in disturbing the public tranquility by creating or circulating false reports or incendiary documents, are, in their own interest, warned that they are exposing themselves.

All persons who have been led away from their allegiance are required to return to their homes forthwith.  Any such absence, without sufficient cause, will be held to be presumptive evidence against them.

The object of this declaration is to place in the hands of the military authorities the power to give instantaneous effect to existing laws, and to supply such deficiencies as the conditions of war demand.  But it is not intended to suspend the ordinary tribunals of the country, where the law will be administered by the civil officers in the usual manner and with their customary authority, while the same can be peaceably exercised.

The Commanding General will labor vigilantly for the public welfare, and, in his efforts for their safety, hopes to obtain not only the acquiescence, but the active support of the people of the country.

J. C. FREMONT,
Major-General Commanding.

THE PRESIDENT CONDEMNS THE GENERAL.
WASHINGTON, D.C. Sept. 11, '61.

MAJOR GEN. JOHN C. FERMONT: Sir:--Yours of the 8th, in answer to mine of the 2d inst. was just received.  Assured that you, upon the ground could judge better of the necessities of your position that I could at this distance, on seeing your proclamation of Aug. 31, I perceived no general objection to it; the particular clause, however, in relation to the confiscation of property and the liberation of slaves, appeared to me to be objectionable in its non-conformity to the act of

Transcription Notes:
Edited - spelling errors and missing lines.